Space radiator



1965 LA VERNE e. EKLUND ETAL 3,217,796

SPACE RADIATOR Filed Nov. so, 1961 xi 2 2 z IN VE N TOPS WILLIAM H. DUNHAM La ERNE 6. EKLUND.

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,217,796 SPACE RADIATOR La Verne G. Eklund, East Hartford, and William H. Dunham, Wapping, Conn., assignors to United Aircraft Corporation, East Hartford, Conn., a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 30, 1961, Ser. No. 155,951 1 Claim. (Cl. 165-101) This invention relates to a space radiator and particularly to an arrangement by which, in a redundant system, to maintain a substantially constant radiating capacity over the design life of the radiator.

In devices of this character, the radiating capacity is randomly lost as segments thereof are damaged due to meteoroid punctures or failure of radiator components. A feature of the present invention is a radiator having a substantially constant radiating capacity even though components of the radiator are damaged. Another feature is the attachment of radiator segments to a constant area radiating surface in such a way that certain of the segments may be damaged without loss of radiating area.

A particular feature of the invention is a provision of a substantially large radiating plate to one surface of which a plurality of radiator circuits, each independent of the others, is attached in such a way as to establish effective heat transfer between the circuits and the plate.

Other features and advantages will be apparent from the specification and claim, and from the accompanying drawing which illustrates an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the radiating device as seen from the radiator circuit side.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view substantially along the line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view along line 33 of FIG. 2.

In the arrangement shown, the radiator consists of a radiating plate 2 having a radiating surface 4 on one side thereof. The plate is shown as flat but it may have a curved or other configuration, as for example, cylindrical or conical, but in any event it will be apparent that the radiating surface 4 is of constant area.

To the other side of the plate 2 are attached a plurality of radiating circuits 6 and 8. Only two of these circuits are shown but it will be apparent that a relatively large number of circuits can be provided, limited only by the practical tube spacing and header arrangements. As shown, the circuit 6 consists of opposed headers 10 and 10 located in parallel relation to each other and at ad jacent edges of the plate 2. Extending between these headers and connected at opposite ends thereto are a plurality of parallel tubes 12 which are attached to the plate 2 preferably throughout the length of each of the tubes by suitable webs 14 on the plate for the conduction of heat from the tubes to the plate. The header 10 has an inlet duct 15 and the header 10' has an outlet duct 16.

The circuit 8 is similar to the circuit 6 in that it has opposed headers 18 and 18' parallel respectively to the headers 10 and 10' and interconnected by tubes 20 which are parallel to the tubes 12 and alternating with them. The header 18 has an inlet 22 and the header 18 has an outlet 24. The tubes 20 are also attached to the plate by additional webs 24 parallel to and between the webs 14 for the tubes 12. Obviously, additional circuits may be provided similar to these circuits.

It will be apparent that by the arrangement shown, the radiating effectiveness of each circuit is substantially equal to that of each of the other circuits especially by the arrangement shown which permits the tubes 12 to be the same effective length as the tubes 20, as will be apparent from FIG. 3. If any one of the tubes 12 should be damaged so that the circuit 6 could no longer be utilized, this circuit can be isolated or made inoperative and the remaining circuits will still be effective to conduct substantially the same heat to the radiating plate 2 and the same area of effective radiating surface will be effective. It is assumed that the waste heat load will remain essentially constant for a given power system. It will be understood that in installing a radiator of this type suitable closure valves 26 and 28 for the circuits 6 and 8, respectively, may be required so that each circuit that becomes inoperative for any reason can be closed without loss of any further cooling fluid through the damaged circuit.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiment herein illustrated and described, but may be used in other ways Without departure from its spirit as defined by the following claim.

We claim:

A radiator construction for a space vehicle including a plate having a radiating surface on one side thereof, and a plurality of fluid circuits mounted on the other side of the plate, each circuit including a plurality of parallel pipes and each circuit being independent of the other circuits, each circuit including headers at opposite ends of the pipes to which they are connected, the pipes of each circuit being parallel to and interspaced with respect to the pipes of the other circuits and each circuit having valve means for closing off the circuit, and a plurality of parallel webs on the side of the plate adjacent to the pipes and corresponding in spacing to the interspaced pipes, said pipes engaging and secured throughout substantially their entire length to the webs.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 754,522 3/1904 Vollmann 257256 1,161,872 11/1915 McElroy 257-134 2,523,807 9/1950 Borghesan -144 2,619,809 12/1952 Backstrom 165144 3,039,453 6/ 1962 Andrassy 257-256 ROBERT A. OLEARY, Primary Examiner.

CHARLES SUKALO, Examiner. 

